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Slavery by Another Name challenges the notion that has been displayed in history books throughout the decades that after the Civil War, slavery was outlawed, and all African Americans were freed. Journalist Douglas Blackmon emphasized the extent of the cruel injustices placed upon former slaves as well as their future descendants. White people were still seen as superior and organizations to suppress black political power were still alive and well. Although the 14th and 15th amendments of the constitution granted citizenship to African Americans, oppression was still a constant battle throughout the south. Blackmon shares that the forced convict labor system was slavery in disguise and just another way to repress blacks. He shares that the reputation of lawlessness and violence amongst African Americans was based upon fake charges and fake crimes to serve the purpose of funding state governments through this forced labor. This book exposes unexplored ideas throughout American History that is not talked about in our history books. He speaks on how the racial, cultural, economic, and political injustices contributed to this new form of slavery through his own research and the stories of others who experienced this period of labor firsthand.
Douglas Blackmon explores the ways in how easy it was to arrest and place charges on blacks to increase convict labor. Vagrancy was one of the main charges placed upon African Americans. Due to sheriff’s compensation being based on how many arrests they could make, there was a large incentive to arrest individuals that were innocent and didn’t do anything wrong. These incidents emphasized the racist stereotyping that is still a large issue that occurs today. Blackmon also explores how terrible the working conditions were for these laborers. Prisoners received disgusting living conditions. Many died from diseases due to the little medical care and unsanitary food that was given to the prisoners. Many companies lied about how they treated their laborers which aided in disguising how horrible the conditions actually were.
Blackman Douglas uses records of original documents and personal narratives to expose this age of neo-slavery after the Civil War. His research shows that forced labor camps were widely spread throughout the south and generated millions of dollars for white slave owners, emphasizing their popularity. Douglas challenges the idea of post-Civil War slavery that historians have overlooked by citing documentation of records and accounts written by people who witnessed the events of neo-slavery happening during that time. For instance, the book opens and closes with an anecdote of Green Cottenham who was held as a slave four years prior to escaping his owner’s plantation. The story of Green Cottenham aids in delivering personal evidence and first-hand experience on this concept of convict labor. Analyzing and sharing his story of being arrested for vagrancy emphasizes how easy it was to be charged for a crime that one was not guilty of committing and thrown into a life of hard labor and gruesome living conditions.
The organization of the story aids in the telling of Douglas Blackmon‘s ideas by creating a story that is factual as well as emotional. Blackmon has done countless research to obtain the information for this book and has crucial evidence that is needed to back up his beliefs and ideas. Although the secondary sources of documents, papers, and written stories aid in confirming what he has to say, the personal stories and experiences are crucial characteristics needed in order to capture the reader’s attention. The details of the lives of the individuals who were forced into convict labor share an emotional value that creates a connection between the story and the reader. The role of emotion and storytelling is an important element in creating a visual in the reader’s mind to really grasp the information that is being provided. The use of facts and evidence as well as the use of emotions such as sympathy, sorrow, and remorse all add to creating an effective story that will linger in the minds of the reader long after the book has closed.
Slavery by another name is a book that opened my eyes and made me question everything that I thought I knew. This is the book that school children should read in their American history classes, not a textbook that is based on lies to appeal to a white America. Historians created this fake assumption that slavery was abolished, when in reality the inequality, discrimination, and racist acts towards African Americans were at an all-time high. It’s disturbing how many of the concepts explored by Douglas Blackmon were never brought up throughout my years in grade school, and how the stories of black people living throughout this period of convict labor after the Civil War were suppressed behind the idea of the 14th and 15th amendments. There’s so much to be learned about the true history of America that was hidden. Due to slaves often not having an education, many didn’t know how to read or write, and as a result, could not record their experiences with slavery. With that being said, there are so many stories that haven’t been told and probably will never have the opportunity to come to light. This book is an incredible tool that can be a voice for people who never had the option to share their stories.
Overall, Slavery by Another Name was successful in exposing the most shameful chapter in American history. The book is powerfully written and sheds light on topics that need to be spoken about. The fight for liberation, freedom, and justice will always be an ongoing battle in the fight for equality. Stories like this challenge the understanding of America and the racist structure that it was built on. Researching the history and learning the stories of the racial injustice that has swept our country for centuries is just the first step, and Douglas Blackmon did an incredible job in illuminating and bringing forth concepts that are not talked about enough.
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